A 10-year agreement for the operation and management of the Lynden Pindling International Airport should be signed within weeks, according to Prime Minister Perry Christie, who denied recently that negotiations for the contract have stalled.
The government had hoped to seal the deal with Vancouver Airport Services (YVRAS) by now, considering that a memorandum of understanding was signed with the Canada-based firm last January.
In an interview with the Bahama Journal several weeks ago, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Aviation Archie Nairn strongly denied that negotiations for the contract were stalled
Instead, he explained that there were some “fine points” that needed to be addressed.
Prime Minister Christie told The Bahama Journal that the “complex negotiations” have been completed by the technical team, which includes the governmentﾒs Washington lawyers, and the contract is now being put into the “correct form” to go before Cabinet.
“I had anticipated the need to have it down by the end of August, certainly by the first of September. And so, I will expect therefore that in a short period of time ﾖ in a matter of weeks ﾖ for that agreement to be examined by Cabinet and decided upon and thereafterﾅ we will go ahead and sign it.”
According to the prime minister, the actual signing will certainly take place before the end of the year.
“I would be astonished if it is not executed within or by the month of October,” he said.
The Journal has however learnt that despite the deal not yet being signed, things are proceeding behind the scenes as if they are.
YVRAS is expected to work with the Airport Authority and Newco, a new Bahamian company.
Officials have explained that the Authority will initially own Newco, which will lease the airport from the Authority for 30 years. Ownership of the airport will remain vested in the Authority.
Newco will in turn contract the services of YVRAS to manage, operate and assist in the development and maintenance of NIA under a management agreement for a 10-year term.
At last report, the plan also called for the government to continue to be responsible for the operation of customs and immigration, air traffic control, meteorology, police and security and passenger screening.
According to Minister of Transport and Aviation Glenys Hanna-Martin, the redevelopment and management plan will be carried out in two phases at an estimated cost of $225 million.
The first phase will include executing high priority projects such as improving the physical and sanitary conditions of the airport.
Phase II of the plan will include the upgrading of existing facilities.
The Lynden Pindling International Airport is said to be the fourth busiest airport in the Caribbean, handling approximately three million passengers annually.
At last report, YVRAS operated 22 airports in Canada, the Dominican Republic, Chile, Cyprus, Jamaica, Honduras and the Turks & Caicos.
By: Macushla N. Pinder, The Bahama Journal
